The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-17
Testimony Before the Commissioners.

Boston, March l6.-The Railroad Commits
sioners continued their Investigation into the
cause of the Forest Hill accident to-day. Geo.
Richards, m aster mechanic of the Boston q
Providence railroad, testified that the telescop
ing of the cars seemed to indicate that there
must have been a break in some part of the
traip Anything that would suddenly stop the
forward part of train would cause such tele-
scoping; either the breaking of a truck
wheel, or derailment would cause it. A single
derailment would not cause the trucks to come
off when the train was going fifteen miles an
hour, if on frozen ground. The witness thought
the of the accident was a partial derail
ment, which must have taken place On the
bridge, as there were no signs of such the
Roslyndale side. He had not seen the sieepers
on the bridge to note whether there anv
sign OF deramept CD them. The trucks of the
third car must have struck the abutment The
teescoplng must have taken place on The bridge.
before the abutnent was strnck. The bridge
must have been in good condition when the loco
motive struck it. When the bridge collapsed
IL must have done the west side
first. The first and second cars were strong
and substantial The third car was
of little different pattern The others were
strong and substantial. Witness had seen 10th
ing in his examina ton that would indicate
serious weakness in the bridge In examining
the wreck he did not discover any rustry cracks
in the iron, except one in one OF the bearing
plates. The plate was n" shaped 1t had a
small crack, but be thought it of no Importance.
1t wns broken ont of some column support of
the bridge, but he did not know from which
part The witness was at the bridge Yesterday
and examined all the pieces but could ind moth
ing more than a few imperfections In the weld
ings. 1t was very rare to find really perfect
weld An axle of car No. 81 was repaired last
January The Journal showed q discoloration
all md haf uhaolh ao boon
served. If the journal broke outside of the
wheel it would cause a serons accident. for one
of the worst accidents in this State was caused
in that way. The weight of the car is carried on
the journal The break of the journal would take
off the weight from the wheels, and then the
wheels would leave the track. The breaking of
| that journal might have caused severe shock
to the bridge. The journal might have broken
half mile away. Broken journals have been
known to go forty to fifty miles without acct
dent This accident may have been caused by
the deraling of this pair of wheels, either
the bridge before. If it took place the
bridge it mi ght have given such shock to it
| to throw the train off, The bridge was about
one hundred feet long, and each fifty
| feet long. When the fifth car, with the broken
| journal, would be on the bridge, the first three
/ would be over 1t was probably the first or
/ second car that left the track. At the place
| where the bridge joined the abutment the rail
| was continuous. There was clasp joining the
| rail to the abntment. This held, but the rail
Was TORN OIL. 1Ho JOlut III Inc TauS was III Inc
center of the bridge There was a lap on both
1 sides of the bridge. Tho teiescoping of the
cars would indicate that the accident first &C.
Cured to the train and not to the bridge. and
/ that the bridge went down as result of the
accident to the train.
| A number of victims of the Forest Hi II acct
| dent were buried from Roslyndale Dedham and
| West Roxbury to-day. There are many who are
/ seriously. if not fatally injured in Roslyndale.
! whose death at any moment NAV be looked for.
| and the probability is that the dead will number
| thirty. Some of the injured are so badly shaken
| up and internally injured that their recovery
| will be matter of months. There are many,
| too. who were removed immediately after the
| accident to various points in Roslyndale whose
| names did not appear at all in the papers. A
| Mr.. Young is severely injured internally, AMI
| the doctor is very apprehensive of the results.
| Alfred Swallow. aged thirty-fve years, is in a
| bad condition, his bowels being ruptured. Oscar
| Norman, designer, has bad cash on the side
| of his head and is BADLY injured internally. His
| nephew, Kanut Lultropp, has big cash on the
| back of his head ard forehead. fresco painter
| named Sasson lies at his home with injured
spine. Those In Rosly ndale in critical cendi
ton are: Miss Nellie Tabraham injuries ahou
the head back and face, very dangerous Leon
ard Tahraham, left leg fractured, injury te
shoulder. probably fracture of the collar bone
cuts aad bruises about the head and face; Mr.
Harkns. injured in neck, chest and head prob
able conclusion of the brain, has not yet recoy